The Philadelphia Eagles’ round 1 highlight was, in fact, the highlight of Day 1 of the 2026 NFL Draft. Trading up to land Makai Lemon at No. 20 ahead of the Pittsburgh Steelers at 21, who were waiting to draft the receiver. The Eagles broke Pittsburgh hearts. Not only that, but they also subtly made a statement; a signal that the A.J. Brown era in Philly is nearing its end.
And once that door cracked open, the speculation flooded in. Where does an alpha receiver with a 150-target résumé land next?
A.J. Brown Gets a ‘Hilarious’ Landing Spot
Former two-time Super Bowl champion Chris Long didn’t overthink it. He leaned straight into chaos while discussing Brown’s situation on his “Green Light” podcast.
“The other thing I didn’t bring up, conspiracy theory here, maybe, just maybe, the Rams are going to be in the market for AJ Brown.”
ESPN’s Stanford Steve added another layer, hinting at rumored team preferences tied to Brown’s situation.
“I heard talks about I think it was somebody in Boston that was like, ‘Hey, worst case scenario, let’s just do the math. Who would take what player?’ Like I supposedly AJ gave a list of teams. Yeah. And it was Rams, Chargers, Patriots, maybe Niners, and somebody had crossed off the Rams for some reason, I forgot what it was,” Steve said.
Long didn’t care about the logistics. He was thinking vibes.
“I think that’d be hilarious if that happened.”
Purely from the entertainment standpoint, he’s not wrong. Dropping Brown into a Los Angeles Rams offense alongside Davante Adams and Puka Nacua would break defensive game plans.
That’s three receivers who all command top-tier volume. It’s a nightmare matchup. But it’s also unrealistic.
Adams AAV sits at $28 million. Brown sits north of $30 million. Even with Nacua on a rookie deal, committing close to $60 million annually to two wideouts cripples roster construction.
This isn’t the “F Them Picks” era anymore for GM Les Snead. The Rams have pivoted toward sustainability after cashing in their chips for a Super Bowl.
Then there’s usage. Brown isn’t a complementary piece. He’s consistently hovered around 150 targets in Philly. Nacua just had 129 receptions over 1,715 yards last year, finishing as the league’s leading receiver on the PFSN’s NFL WR Impact metrics.
Add a fit Adams into the mix, and it’s going to get a headache. There’s only one football, and Matthew Stafford isn’t throwing it 800 times a year.
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Meanwhile, the situation in Philly keeps pointing one way. Brown’s production dipped to 78 catches for 1,003 yards and seven touchdowns in 2025. It’s a clear drop from his previous elite output. The frustration showed, especially during the wild-card loss to the San Francisco 49ers, where the offense stalled and tensions boiled over.
So, Brown’s out, but patience is the name of the game. A pre-June 1 trade triggers a $43.4 million dead-cap hit. After June 1, it splits into a manageable two seasons. That’s the window, right there. However, the Rams still don’t make it to the trade conversations.
